The use of elastomeric materials to form elasticized areas in the design and construction of disposable absorbent articles is well known. Typically, such elasticized areas are formed by bonding elastomeric materials, such as natural or synthetic rubber, to the other components from which such disposable absorbent articles are formed. Generally, the elastomeric materials will be bonded to the absorbent article while the elastomeric materials are in a stretched condition. Upon relaxation, the elastomeric materials will operate to gather the components of the disposable absorbent articles to which they are attached. In this manner, elastomeric leg cuffs and waist gathers can be formed.
Attaching elastomeric materials to a disposable absorbent article while said elastomeric materials are in a stretched condition may be, from a manufacturing perspective, a difficult step to accomplish. Moreover, such elastomeric materials are typically attached to the disposable absorbent article through the use of adhesives such as hot melt adhesives. However, the presence of such adhesive has been found to reduce or eliminate the retractive forces exerted by such elastomeric material in the area in which the adhesives contact the elastomeric material and the disposable absorbent article to which they are attached.
The need for increased fit and comfort of disposable absorbent garments has resulted in the development of elastomeric films having differential elasticity, or so called targeted elastic zones. Films or materials constructed to have targeted elastic zones, or areas of differential tension when stretched, are disclosed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/855,194, filed 14 May 2001, and of common ownership herewith. The incorporation of the differential elasticity of targeted elastics into films has furthered the ease of manufacture and resulted in improved comfort, functionality, and appearance. Other elastomeric films have been developed which are desirable in several aspects for the manufacture of absorbent garments. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,050, issued 12 Jun. 2001 to Odorzynski et al., of common ownership herewith, an elastomeric film for use in disposable absorbent articles is taught which is a pressure sensitive adhesive and which provides liquid barrier properties with some vapor transmission. These films are hot melt extruded pressure-sensitive adhesives sometimes referred to as EBA (Elastic Barrier Adhesive).
In order to further improve the economy of manufacture and processability of the garments and the overall fit and comfort of such garments, it would be desirable to have a targeted elastic material that is easily manufactured as a targeted elastic film, is adhesive to other garment components with minimal processing steps, and which provides a liquid barrier suitable for use in the critical leakage areas of garment openings such as the leg holes or waist area of an undergarment pant structure.